1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a modular base for a machine, more particularly to a modular base for a labeling machine which occupies a relatively small space and which can be assembled with relative ease.
2. Description of the Related Art
Commodities, such as beverage bottles, drug bottles, containers, and packaging boxes, are generally provided with a label to classify products, to indicate usage and other information, to display the trademark or logo of the manufacturer, etc. With the recent advancement in automation, automated attachment of labels to such commodities has taken the place of manual label attachment, and has become quite popular in the industry.
In a conventional label attaching process, a reel of labels including a backing paper strip and a plurality of labels is arranged on a reel support plate. A leading end of the reel is drawn via a guiding device to a label applicator plate where the labels are applied to containers being advanced by a container conveyer.
With reference to FIG. 1, a conventional base 1 is adapted for use with a labeling machine that includes a conveyor unit 2, a label applying unit 3, a label pressing unit 4, a baffle plate member 5, and an electrical box 6. The conventional base 1 is shown to include a tabletop 102 and four side plates 101. In general, the tabletop 102 and the side plates 101 are mounted on a frame of steel (not shown) that is formed by casting or from steel plates welded together or fastened together by screw fasteners. As such, high precision is required in forming the base 1. Besides, the base 1 is bulky and occupies a large amount of space.
Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a modular base for a machine, which is easy to assemble and dismantle.
Accordingly, a modular base of this invention includes a tabletop, four leg posts, four screw fasteners, and four rectangular board members. The tabletop has a top side, a bottom side opposite to the top side in a vertical direction, and four post bores formed in the bottom side and arranged to form four corners of a rectangle. Each of the leg posts has an upper end portion inserted removably into a respective one of the post bores, and a lower end portion. Each of the leg posts is provided with a pair of radially extending upper board engaging members that are disposed at right angles and that are adjacent to the upper end portion, and a pair of radially extending lower board engaging members that are disposed at right angles and that are adjacent to the lower end portion. Each of the upper board engaging members forms a downwardly opening notch. Each of the lower board engaging members forms an upwardly opening notch. Each of the screw fasteners fastens removably the upper end portion of a respective one of the leg posts to the tabletop. Each of the board members extends across an adjacent pair of the leg posts, and has first and second upper corner portions, and first and second lower corner portions. The first upper corner portion engages removably the notch in one of the upper board engaging members on one of the adjacent pair of leg posts. The first lower corner portion engages removably the notch in one of the lower board engaging members on said one of the adjacent pair of leg posts. The second upper corner portion engages removably the notch in one of the upper board engaging members on the other one of the adjacent pair of leg posts. The second lower corner portion engages removably the notch in one of the lower board engaging members on the other one of the adjacent pair of leg posts.